The benefits of guide training for sustainable cetacean-based tourism in developing countries, case study – Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve, Mozambique

Tour guides represent the forefront of responsible Cetacean-Based Tourism (CBT), client satisfaction and product development. How an operation and specifically the guide facilitates the activity can shape tourists’ attitudes and change their behaviour towards the environment, turning consumers into stewards of the environment. This study examined the validity and success of a guide training workshop for CBT operators in the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve (PPMR), Mozambique. A questionnaire survey was implemented pre- and post-training to measure the operators’ knowledge of aspects related to CBT and attitudes towards sustainable tourism and local regulations. Results suggest that the training workshop improved guide knowledge, which in some cases showed significant variations according to demographic variables namely, gender, education, and years of experience in the current job position. Mandatory guide training is recommended and should include not only product knowledge but also content on visitors’ expectations, interpretive guiding, and experience brokering. Presential training, refresher sessions, and English lessons are also advised. If these recommendations are put in place, then there is the potential for sustainable CBT to flourish in Mozambique, bringing much needed environmental and economic sustainability to this developing country.